Glorianah Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Hello Does anyone in here have a Tokai Hard Puncher? What can you tell me about this bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I owned one back in the 80's. I can vividly recall it being significantly better than the USA Precision that I owned at the same time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I had one for a while, nice basses. Not far removed from a Precision, felt a bit different underhand but not significantly so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) I've got an '84 Hardpuncher. It's one of the best precisions I've ever played. and heard. A lot of basses have come, and gone through the years. This one has stayed... It has a lovely neck, 70's style narrower (B width) than the standard width neck, though not as narrow as a Jazz bass, and a deeper profile though not a bassball bat. The standard pickups are not much cop IME. I've put a vintage Dimarzio in mine, plus CTS pots, PIO tone cap & switchcraft jack. I've slso swapped the original b/w/b pickguard for a nice tort one. Here it is: [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/84Tokai_zps73b20dc5.jpg.html"][/url] Edited April 19, 2015 by nick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnaround Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I've a real soft spot for 80s Tokai guitars and bass's. They're better than a lot of 70s Fenders and close to but ultimately only replicas of the 60s Fenders that inspired them. Excellent instruments though in every way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorianah Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Wow, such a beautiful bass nick! How do you know/find out which year it is from? I'm guessing mine might be from the 80's aswell.. It's hard to find enough info online i think i've been surfing a bit about it. Just got this guitar from my uncle, he said i could sell it if i wanted to but i thik i will hold on to it for a while ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Highly rated in the 80s at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Turnaround' timestamp='1429470691' post='2751710'] I've a real soft spot for 80s Tokai guitars and bass's. They're better than a lot of 70s Fenders and close to but ultimately only replicas of the 60s Fenders that inspired them. Excellent instruments though in every way. [/quote] I know they did replicas of 50's & 60's classic Fenders, but the neck on mine is closer to a 70's P-Bass [quote name='Glorianah' timestamp='1429470881' post='2751712'] Wow, such a beautiful bass nick! How do you know/find out which year it is from? I'm guessing mine might be from the 80's aswell.. It's hard to find enough info online i think i've been surfing a bit about it. Just got this guitar from my uncle, he said i could sell it if i wanted to but i thik i will hold on to it for a while ^^ [/quote] Thanks...I worked it out from the serial number & the logo shape. Check out the Tokai registry website, but I'd guess yours is maybe an 83/84 one. I'd keep it, get a decent pickup in it & you've got a killer P-bass there. [quote name='3below' timestamp='1429470957' post='2751714'] Highly rated in the 80s at the time. [/quote] You know, I remember in the 80's a lot of people (wrongly) treated them as second rate to Fender, same as a lot of other Japcrap. TBH, I think Tokais as well as Grecos are now more highly regarded than back then IMHO. Edited April 19, 2015 by nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckman67 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 As said above in the 80's Tokai made good basses & guitars, I wish I'd bought a couple of them back then . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeEvans Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I don't know about this one but I've got an old Tokai jazz copy with Bartolini pickups which is my favourite bass ever - I've played lots of other much more expensive basses but nothing else quite does it. I've spoken to other bass players and had the same opinion: old Tokai's are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 1980's Tokai Hard Puncher.Quality instrument. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Agree with the above posts. I was lucky enough to own both a great Hard Puncher and fretless Tokai "Jazz sound" jazz bass during the 80's - they were both absolutely fantastic basses and much cheaper than my more expensive 70's Fenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 I still have mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Don't know about basses, but I've owned a couple of '80's Tokai guitars - Strat & Les Paul copies - and both were very, very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qlank Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Had a fretless jazz and a fretted Candy Apple Red that I put a chrome scratchplate on. Both quality basses I should never have sold. Thinking about the fretted one the other day, remember having a real good sound out of it. Rose tinted specs maybe but I found some old demos and live recordings and yes, it sounds the business alright. I'd keep that OP if I were you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Where can you buy a Tokai these days? I always hankered after a hard puncher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Second hand ones pop up from time to time at a really good price in the for sale section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 My memory of the 80s is that [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Tokai was the brand that finally pushed Fender into the arms of Japanese manufacturers. I think the first Squires are actually re-bedged Tokais. In other words, 80s Tokais are actually early MIJ Fenders.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]P[/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhk Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Bernie goodfellow has one for sale in his Brighton shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I'm just praying they don't do a black, maple necked one. For if that was the case, I would be forced to purchase it. Edit - oh sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmit Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I got a 1981 hard puncher and I just can't get rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 [quote name='Mattmit' timestamp='1429600199' post='2752924'] I got a 1981 hard puncher and I just can't get rid of it. [/quote] In a good or bad way?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 [quote name='barkin' timestamp='1429526190' post='2752190'] Don't know about basses, but I've owned a couple of '80's Tokai guitars - Strat & Les Paul copies - and both were very, very good. [/quote] Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 (edited) [quote name='40hz' timestamp='1429535637' post='2752339'] Where can you buy a Tokai these days? I always hankered after a hard puncher. [/quote] All over the bay Item 271843505560 or 291381310187 as examples Think they are Chinese made now Edited April 21, 2015 by Geek99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Current ones are made in Indonesia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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